4 Ways to refresh your friendships

Jessica Padykula is a freelance writer and editor in Toronto, Canada covering a wide range of topics for several online lifestyle publications. She is a regular contributor for SheKnows, covering travel, style, relationships, health and...

Friendship overhaul

Just like any relationship, friendships need work in order to keep them going strong. If there are a few friends in your life who you feel you’ve grown apart from, or you just want to breathe new life into the time you spend with your BFFs, we have some tips to help you.

Switch things up

The easiest way to revive a friendship is to avoid a rut when it comes to how you spend time together. If you have a standing brunch date every Sunday with one friend (for as long as you can remember), and you go for no-fail monthly cocktails with another, it might be time to try something new. Go dancing, head to a museum, take a cooking class together or just have girls' night in with pizza and a bottle of wine. The point is to steer clear of friendship ruts by not relying on the same activity every time you see certain people.

Dig deeper

Talking about shopping, trying to lose those last five pounds or why your latest date didn’t work out are all traditional topics to discuss with friends. But in order to strengthen or revive your bonds, you might want to consider digging deeper. That means talking about more than just the superficial stuff and instead addressing things like goals, fears and regrets. We’re not saying every conversation needs to be deep and meaningful, but if you really want to maintain a bond, getting to know more about how your friends work and think is key.

Put petty feuds aside

If you’re holding a grudge (even a little one) against any of your friends, it’s going to be hard to feel good about the relationship. Whether someone spilt red wine on your favorite (new) dress when they borrowed it, or someone skipped your birthday in favor of a hot date, it’s time to forgive and forget. If there’s something really bothering you, now is also the time to talk about it. The more you hold back your real feelings, the weaker the friendship gets.

Plan an adventure

Boost your bond and refresh a friendship by planning a trip together. It can be a day trip, a weekend road trip or even a weeklong girls' vacation. The point is to do something out of the ordinary together to re-bond with someone you don’t get to see often or who has faded from your life. Once you’re both on board and pick a date, get planning! Even just figuring out the details of the trip will be a fun way to reconnect.